One thing to be said about Team NTSA国际影视传媒檚 Canada Summer Games tennis team that will play in Ontario in August: they know what they will be up against and they arenSA国际影视传媒檛 afraid to say it.

The six players SA国际影视传媒� three boys and three girls, all from Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒� will be competing during the first week of the Games in Niagara Region. They were selected following a training camp earlier this month at the Yellowknife Tennis Club, under the watchful eye of head coach Jan Martinek and assistant coach Tamara Jovic.

Martinek, who also coached Team NT at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games in Saskatchewan, said he knows it will be a tough test for his players.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll of the provinces will be there and theySA国际影视传媒檒l be taking it a bit more seriously,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淢ostly, it will be about the kids representing the NWT in a way that we want it to be seen. If weSA国际影视传媒檙e winning by a lot or losing by a lot, keep the same composure, donSA国际影视传媒檛 mess around and make sure everyone sees the NWT as the team that we can be.SA国际影视传媒�

ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 no misunderstanding what the NWT athletes will be facing when they hit the court, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e going to be going up against kids who are playing in about 20 tournaments in a year,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 havenSA国际影视传媒檛 necessarily been telling our kids that theySA国际影视传媒檒l be at a disadvantage, but just make them aware of the fact that not being able to practice on real courts during the winter definitely adds to the level (of competition) that they will experience.SA国际影视传媒�

That winter court time happened at the Fieldhouse, where the players got some time on the turf.

SA国际影视传媒淭ouches on the ball, being able to feel the ball on the strings SA国际影视传媒� thatSA国际影视传媒檚 never a bad thing,SA国际影视传媒� said Martinek. SA国际影视传媒淏ut itSA国际影视传媒檚 on artificial turf, not hardcourt, so the ball bounces differently and the timing is different. Hardcourt is faster and turf slows the ball down.SA国际影视传媒�

Tennis will be contested in a team format and all of the results will go toward a score for each match-up. Each player will engage in at least one singles match and one doubles match in each head-to-head match. The schedule isnSA国际影视传媒檛 out yet but itSA国际影视传媒檚 most likely that the NWT will be in Preliminary Pool C, where they will have two head-to-head contests. If they hope to qualify for the quarter-final, theySA国际影视传媒檒l have to do that by beating a team from Preliminary Pool B once the standings are finalized for the playoffs.

Now that the Games seem to be a reality, barring any major viral outbreak, the excitement is starting to build for Joseph Curran, who makes up part of the boys side.

He said he canSA国际影视传媒檛 wait to play in his first Canada Summer Games.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 getting excited and really glad to see that things are starting to take shape,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e always been optimistic about sports coming back and ISA国际影视传媒檓 just glad that I can get an opportunity to go to such a major event.SA国际影视传媒�

Teresa Martin is also making her Canada Summer Games debut.

She said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 eager to take on players from around the country.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 really looking forward to that,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎t Arctic Winter Games (in 2018), there were less participants and less teams, but getting to do this is really exciting.SA国际影视传媒�

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 all sight unseen for these athletes, and Martin said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 approaching each match the way she knows how.

SA国际影视传媒淪tick to what I know, stick to what ISA国际影视传媒檝e been learning these past few years and have a good time,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Canada Summer Games tennis team (all from Yellowknife)

Boys

Nikhilesh Gohil

Joseph Curran

Luke Dizon

Girls

Madeleine Kapraelian

Ofira Duru

Teresa Martin

Source: Tennis NWT